Evaluation of the Use of Community Mental Health Resources to Decrease Depression Scores in Adolescent Patients

This paper described a quality improvement project with a goal of decreasing depression symptoms through the use of specified community mental health resources. The aim of this project was to decrease depression scores for pediatric patients by offering information on available community resources. This was achieved by providing an evidence-based pamphlet with community-based mental health resources to patients who scored high on the depression screening. This intervention addressed an identified gap at the site concerning mental health services for depressed adolescents. Objectives included providing patients who screen positive for depression the community resource list, obtaining decreased scores on the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) depression screening 6 weeks post intervention, and return visits for follow up appointments for re-assessment. All adolescents ages 12-18 who visited the pediatrician’s office from June 2, 2021, to July 7, 2021, for an annual well visit or mental health complaint were offered the PHQ-9 screening. Patients who scored 5 or higher were invited to participate in the project for a total of 20 participants. The 3 objectives for this project were not met. Providers demonstrated low participation and adequate follow-up was not provided resulting in lack of the PHQ-9 rescreening. Recommendations for future efforts to increase to decrease depression symptoms would be to determine barriers to providers recommending community resources and incorporating modifications to the project based on provider identified barriers. A longer period (such as 6 months) could also assist in increasing provider participation and patients’ use of community resources.